Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ligao City Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ligao City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $766 in Ligao City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $1,195 in Ligao City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,624 in Ligao City.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 208% more expensive than in Ligao City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Ligao City is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$3.51 ₱215

388.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$17.92 ₱1,097

279.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$3.36 ₱206

305.95%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$2.48 ₱152

12.10%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 €2.44

$0.82 ₱50.1

243.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.36 ₱22.13

444.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$1.35 ₱82.4

228.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$2.07 ₱127

122.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.83 ₱112

-30.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.27 ₱78.0

67.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.96 ₱58.5

107.29%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$1.98 ₱121

70.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$8.10 ₱496

134.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$4.20 ₱257

126.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$7.68 ₱470

143.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$2.85 ₱174

-7.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.53 ₱93.9

53.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$2.67 ₱163

-21.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$1.62 ₱99.3

68.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$2.30 ₱141

-14.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$2.59 ₱159

-30.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.08 ₱65.9

39.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.77 ₱47.42

15.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$2.77 ₱169

144.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$8.24 ₱504

-3.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.21 ₱73.9

13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$2.07 ₱127

15.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.26 ₱15.80

1019.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$0.82 ₱50.2

458.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$0.24 ₱14.74

750.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$2.17 ₱133

1223.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.15 ₱70.2

58.26%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.3K €34.0K

$26.8K ₱1.6M

46.68%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.5K €28.1K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

56.85%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$187 €162

$110 ₱6,762

68.96%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.29 €19.30

$32.62 ₱1,997

-31.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$27.03 ₱1,655

34.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$33.54 ₱2,053

71.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

$4.35 ₱267

376.78%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$6.02 ₱368

78.90%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$725 €628

$149 ₱9,108

387.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$4,269 ₱261.3K

254.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$45.26 ₱2,771

94.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$26.69 ₱1,634

37.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$73.9 ₱4,521

40.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$54.0 ₱3,307

119.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$265 ₱16.2K

475.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$178 ₱10.9K

589.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$577 ₱35.3K

372.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$387 ₱23.7K

413.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$2,432 ₱148.9K

207.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$970 ₱59.4K

440.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$278 ₱17.0K

759.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.67

-49.18%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ligao City: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $265 in Ligao City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 759% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $18.00 in Ligao City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $206 per month, with Ligao City cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Barcelona vs Ligao City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Ligao City differ by about 208% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $766 including rent). Ligao City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 759% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $265 in Ligao City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $149 in Ligao City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ligao City – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $766 in Ligao City versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ligao City but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ligao City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Ligao City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ligao City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 208% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.